Patents by Inventor John D. Axe

John D. Axe has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • High strain rate tester for materials used in sports balls
    Patent number: 6609410
    Abstract: A high strain rate tester for elastomeric materials used in sports balls includes a base on which a sample of the material is mounted and a striker which delivers an impact to the sample, preferably in the vertical direction. A load cell adjacent to the sample measures the reaction force of the impact from the sample and an optical detector measures the displacement of the sample in the vertical direction. The force and displacement measurements are processed to determine the time dependent strain of the material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Assignee: Spalding Sports Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: John D. Axe, Vincent J. Simonds, Thomas A. Veilleux
  • High strain rate tester for materials used in sports balls
    Publication number: 20020053232
    Abstract: A high strain rate tester for elastomeric materials used in sports balls includes a base on which a sample of the material is mounted and a striker which delivers an impact to the sample, preferably in the vertical direction. A load cell adjacent to the sample measures the reaction force of the impact from the sample and an optical detector measures the displacement of the sample in the vertical direction. The force and displacement measurements are processed to determine the time dependent strain of the material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2001
    Publication date: May 9, 2002
    Inventors: John D. Axe, Vincent J. Simonds, Thomas A. Veilleux
  • Avoidance of resonance in the inflatable sport ball by limiting the critical ratio
    Publication number: 20010034279
    Abstract: A sport ball having an internal device such as an internal pump has a critical ratio that insures that rebound characteristics or coefficient of restitution of the ball, such as a basketball, will be acceptable for use. The invention also includes the method for evaluating design and/or quality control of a sport ball by measuring the internal vibration and determining the critical ratio of the sport ball.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2001
    Publication date: October 25, 2001
    Inventors: Thomas A. Veilleux, Matthew K. Lacroix, Ronald P. LaLiberty, Ken Brown, John D. Axe